The Dating Dare Page 13

  “Hi,” he whispered. The muted neighborhood, quiet and sleepy in the dark morning, compelled him to make as little noise as possible.

  “Hi,” she whispered back.

  Seth led her to the passenger’s side and opened the door for her. Once she was settled, he stowed her bag next to his in the trunk and slid into his seat. “Are you ready?”

  “Yes.” She squirmed in her seat, unable to contain her excitement. “I made us a road-trip playlist.”

  “Aww, are you giving me a mixtape, Tara? Does that mean you like like me?”

  “Be quiet and drive. And behold the mastery of my playlist.” She sighed and relaxed into her seat as the first strains of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons permeated the air.

  The familiar melody was soothing in the stillness of the early morning. Seth smiled his appreciation at Tara, then turned his attention back to the road as he led them toward the highway.

  Their road trip began in earnest with the soulful voice of Ed Sheeran singing to mellow, acoustic music. As Weldon disappeared behind them, they listened in companiable silence as more evocative music filled the car. Soon dawn stained the sky with indigo, purple, and pink, and they cruised down the nearly empty freeway.

  “This isn’t just a playlist,” he said. “It’s like the soundtrack to our road trip. If we were in a movie, this song would be playing in the background right now.”

  “You understand my genius.” She smiled brightly. “Since you insisted on driving, I wanted to do something to make the long drive more enjoyable.”

  “Thank you. That’s very thoughtful of you.”

  “You’re welcome,” she said softly. “I’m glad you like it.”

  He tucked away the warmth of the moment before consulting his navigator to make sure he’d switched to the right freeway. “Do you ski often?”

  “Not really. Just once a year or so. I’m too busy with the brewery, and it’s hard to get away.” She shifted and turned to face him. “How about you? For you to ski so well, you must go often.”

  “Yeah, I try to go at least three or four times a season. And when things work out with my schedule, I like to go for a weeklong trip to Utah or Colorado. The snow is pristine out there.”

  “I should confess now that I’m a modest intermediate skier. I’m afraid I won’t be joining you on the black diamond courses.”

  “On our last date, we let the princesses and goblins interrupt our date. I’m not letting anything split us up today,” he said resolutely. “We’ll warm up on the intermediate courses, and when you feel more confident, we can hit the advanced slopes. You’ll love it.”

  “But I’ve never gone on one before.” She sounded uncharacteristically timid.

  “Well, today will be perfect for your first time, since I’ll be right by your side if you need help. But I have a feeling you’ll rise to the challenge.”

  “Hmm. I’ll think about it,” she said, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

  “You know you want to.” He grinned widely, because it was true. Now that he’d presented her with a challenge, she wouldn’t be able to rest until she conquered it.

  “Maybe,” she said. “Oh, are we going to stop at Bishop? The bakery there has the best bread.”

  “I know exactly which one you’re talking about. Let’s grab some sandwiches for lunch there so we could hit the slopes as soon as we can.”

  “Sounds like a plan.”

  Then they had to stop talking because “Bohemian Rhapsody” came on.

  * * *

  They made good time to Mammoth, even with the stopover at Bishop. It was too early to check in, so they dropped their bags off at the hotel and headed outside with their sandwiches.

  “Should we save these until lunch or do you want to eat them now?” Seth was hoping for the latter choice. He was starving.

  “Let’s eat them now. It’s past ten, so we’ll call this brunch and ski straight through the afternoon.”

  “You read my mind.”

  They sat at a bench outside their hotel to eat their brunch, then went on to get geared up at the rental shop. Seth wasn’t very happy with his rental gear, but he’d already packed up his ski gear to be shipped to Paris. These would have to do. At least Landon’s ski jacket and pants fit him.

  “Do your boots feel okay?” he asked.

  She walked back and forth a few times and nodded. “Yeah. They’re good. Let’s go.”

  When they were ready, they huddled into the gondola to reach the ski slopes. It was always fun to watch the rooftops of the ski chalets grow smaller while climbing to the top.

  Tara sat in the middle of the bench across from him and looked around at the changing vista.

  “Did I tell you that gondola rides are one of my favorite things about skiing?” Seth said. “It makes me feel like a little kid on a Disneyland ride.”

  “Kind of like riding on the flying boat in Peter Pan’s Flight.” A soft smile touched her lips.

  “Exactly. That’s my favorite dark ride.”

  “Plus, it’s in Fantasyland with Sleeping Beauty’s Castle and the Mad Hatter,” she said, her features brightening up.

  “The Mad Hatter? Is that some kind of Alice in Wonderland ride? I’ve never heard of it.”

  “No, it’s a store filled with wondrous things like Mickey ears and tiaras.”

  “So which one do you like to wear?” he asked.

  “The Minnie ears, of course.”

  Seth chuckled, enjoying seeing yet another side of Tara. “I wouldn’t have pegged you for a Disney fan.”

  “I’m not peggable.”

  “It seems you’re not.”

  When they got off the gondola, they stepped into their skis and headed for the lifts to the intermediate courses.

  “I always get nervous getting on the lifts,” Tara said with a slight tremor in her voice, and there was a pallor to her skin that hadn’t been there a moment ago.

  “It’s your survival instincts,” he said matter-of-factly, smoothing out the frown that tugged at his eyebrows. He didn’t like seeing her worried but she deserved better than meaningless reassurances. “We’re going to sit on an open chair and go up the mountains. It’s perfectly safe, but also a little reckless when you think about it.”

  “We humans happily take unnecessary risks as long as it’s fun.” She smiled, some color returning to her cheeks.

  “That’s what separates us from the animals,” he deadpanned.

  Tara was still laughing when they plunked down on the lift. He hoped he’d successfully eased her nervousness. When the lift began its ascent, she tensed for just a few seconds then relaxed enough to gently swing her legs back and forth.

  “Comfy?” he asked.

  “Better.” She blew out a long breath. “Oh, look. We’re almost at the part where we jump off of a moving suspended chair and drop to the ground.”

  He chuckled. Humans really were outrageous creatures. They landed lightly on the snow without mishap and glided away from the lift. The course was pretty straightforward and without many challenges, but going down the hill with the wind rushing in his ears was going to feel great.

  “Ready?” Her body coiled back like a spring. Hmm. He suddenly doubted her claim of being a modest intermediate skier.

  “Here we go,” he said and pushed off with Tara close by his side.

  The graceful flow of her movements proved his thoughts right. She skied beautifully. He stayed close to her and didn’t pick up speed. He was serious about not being separated from her. He didn’t want to let her out of his sight. As though she was testing him, Tara swooshed downhill, suddenly picking up speed. With a hoot, he sped up to join her.

  She curled herself tighter as they approached the bottom of the hill, and he couldn’t help himself. Maybe he wanted to show off like a peacock during mating season. He zoomed past her and stopped in a smooth arc at the bottom. Quickly, he pulled out his phone from his jacket pocket and pretended to scroll through messages.

  Tara
slid expertly to a stop beside him a few seconds later. He glanced up from his phone with surprise. “Oh, there you are. I thought you’d gone for some refreshments.”

  “Show-off,” she said, and laughed. “You really can ski like James Bond. I thought maybe it was just The Ego talking.”

  “And you’re no intermediate skier.”

  “I really am. I’ve never skied on the advanced slopes.”

  “That doesn’t make sense.” Seth cocked his head to the side, truly puzzled.

  “I have this irrational fear of sliding off the chairs, and landing on the snow way below like a crumpled doll,” she said, staring down at her boot-covered toes. “That’s why I get so scared getting on the lifts. But to go to the diamond courses, you have to take multiple lifts, going even higher.”

  “But it’s not the heights because you did fine on the gondola ride.”

  “Because it’s fully enclosed. The lifts are so … open.”

  “What if I promise you, I’ll never let you fall? I’ll hold you tight the entire ride and not let go.” He leaned closer to her so she would look at him. “I’ll be your personal seat belt.”

  Her eyes widened and her lips parted, and she seemed almost mesmerized when she said in a breathless whisper, “Okay.”

  He’d had no ulterior motive other than to make her feel safe, but her reaction heated his blood to a quick boil. The depth of emotion she brought out in him was unnerving, yet thrilling. He wanted to laugh with her, to protect her, and make love to her with an intensity that surprised him. But he liked it, and hungered for more than a little taste of it.

  Suddenly, the beginning of his new chapter in Paris loomed like a ticking bomb, ominously counting down the time he had left with Tara.

  CHAPTER NINE

  “Oh, my Groot. We’re up so high. So very high,” Tara squeaked. Seth was sitting right beside her with his strong arms wrapped around her. Her personal seat belt. So romantic. Yet, her freak-out kept climbing. “Are you sure you’re not defective?”

  “Tara.”

  When she turned to face him, he crushed his mouth against hers. One moment she was scared and the next moment, she wanted nothing more than to climb onto his lap. She opened her mouth wider to give his tongue easier access. She moaned softly. Then she was rudely—but gently—set apart from him.

  “Ready to jump?” he asked in a husky voice.

  “What are you talking about?” she said, completely confused why he’d stopped kissing her.

  “We’re almost at the top.”

  “What—oh.” She’d forgotten she was even on a lift. He’d kissed her to distract her from her fear. And boy, had it worked.

  “Ready?” he asked again.

  “Yeah. Sure. I’m ready.”

  Then they dropped together onto solid ground. Well, not exactly solid. The snow was softer up here since they didn’t groom the slopes and fewer people ventured up this high. She loved how her skis sank into the powdery snow.

  The air around them felt eerily calm. There were other skiers and boarders on the slopes, but their voices sounded far away and muted. The anxiety she’d felt moments before melted away, and anticipation raised goose bumps on her arms.

  “Oh, Seth. It’s so beautiful here,” she whispered. The tall, viridescent trees behind them stretched to pierce the crisp blue sky, and the glistening powder down the slope cast a crystal-like glow to the entire picture. It was as serene and magical as a dormant snow globe.

  “I knew you’d like it.” He chuckled softly. “Let’s take this one easy, so you can get a feel for it.”

  “After I get a feel for it, I’m going to redeem myself and beat you to the bottom.”

  “Sure, you will.” His smirk was all cocky arrogance. It was so annoying how much it turned her on.

  “Yeah, you’re such a big, tough man that you managed to beat an intermediate skier by a few seconds.”

  “What can I say? Winning is a thrill no matter how small the challenge.”

  “I may not be able to beat you, but I’m going to be on your ass all day. You won’t be able to shake me off.”

  “Promise?”

  Grrr. He was infuriating. And oh so entertaining. With a delighted laugh, she pushed off ahead of him. Skiing down the pristine snow and challenging her skills was a sweet high. The air was colder up here and the wind stung her cheeks as she picked up speed. When it got too fast for her, she swerved left and right, drawing long zigzags on the snow.

  Seth skied ahead of her but always slowed down and waited for her, so she never lost sight of him. Despite his insistence that she would love the diamond slopes, he was watching her carefully. She liked this protective side to him. She loved her parents and older brothers, but they sometimes made her feel claustrophobic with their overprotectiveness. Seth gave her space and didn’t hover, but still let her know he was there for her.

  They skied the last stretch of snow side by side, and slid to the bottom of the hill together. Tara was breathless from the exertion and excitement. She threw herself into Seth’s arms, and hugged him tightly around his shoulders, not caring that their skis were tangled up.

  “That was amazing.” Her voice was muffled by his jacket. “Let’s do it again.”

  “Are you sure you don’t want to take a break first?” he asked as he untangled them before they toppled over.

  “No way. Not even spiked hot chocolate can tempt me away.”

  “And you’re up for another lift ride?”

  “I found your strategy on the last ride very satisfactory.”

  A wolfish grin spread across his face. “I think I could manage it again.”

  As soon as her butt landed on the seat of the lift, Tara wrapped her arms around Seth’s neck and kissed him. There was no reason to wait until her panic rose. With a sexy chuckle that rumbled in his chest, he kissed her back like he meant it. His laughter turned to a groan when she traced his bottom lip with her tongue, and it was her turn to smile in satisfaction. She loved that she could make him desperate with a flick of her tongue.

  This time, she pulled away from him as they approached the end of the ride. Seth tried to tug her back with a frustrated growl, but she gently pushed him away. “It’s time to get off.”

  Seth shook his head as though he needed to clear it, and jumped off with her. The peaceful calm was broken by the raucous laughter of a group of teenage snowboarders. Tara shrugged. It was getting later in the day, so the hills were becoming a bit more crowded. The kids wouldn’t be a distraction once they started down the slope.

  They pushed off without delay. Tara kept pace with Seth this time, the terrain a bit more familiar to her. He glided effortlessly beside her, as though skiing was as natural as walking to him. He was holding back so he could stay with her. She wanted him to enjoy himself as much as she was enjoying herself, so she picked up her poles and curled in on herself.

  “Later,” she yelled and zoomed away.

  “Not a chance.” Seth’s laughing voice reached her ears as he sped past her.

  Happy that he was finally throwing himself in, Tara slowed down a bit so she wouldn’t smash into a tree.

  It happened so fast she wasn’t quite sure what hit her. She knew she’d successfully avoided the trees, but then why was she lying flat on her back? Seth had apparently slowed down to wait for her because he was by her side immediately.

  “Tara. Are you okay?” He clicked off his skis and knelt by her side.

  “Yeah, I think so,” she managed to say.

  When she heard someone groan to her side, she swerved her head to find one of the teenage boarders gathering herself off the ground. Tucking her snowboard under her arm, she walked over to Tara.

  “Oh, my God. I’m so sorry. I slipped and the edge of my board caught your ski.”

  Seth had her sitting up now, so she was able to answer with some dignity. “That’s all right. It was an accident.”

  “I’m still sorry,” the teenager said.

  “Ow,” T
ara yelped and the that’s okay that had been on the tip of her tongue got waylaid in a cloud of pain. It felt as though a pair of metal clamps were attempting to crush her ankle and doing a decent job of it.

  “Shit. I’m so sorry, Tara,” Seth ground out, sounding frustrated and angry with himself. “I need to remove your boot to see how badly you’re hurt. I don’t know if I can do it without hurting you. Can you hang on while I take it off?”

  “Yes, I’ll hang on,” she said, bracing herself. If the pain she’d felt when he unlatched her ski was any indication, this was going to hurt like a bitch.

  “I’ll help,” the girl volunteered and grabbed her right leg to steady it as Seth gently worked her boot off.

  She couldn’t help it. She whimpered, biting down on her lip.

  “Fuck,” Seth said, turning worried eyes to her. Then his continued efforts drew a moan out of her. He stopped immediately. “Fucking hell.”

  “Oh, God. I’m so sorry,” the snowboarder said again, wringing her gloved hands.

  “I’m okay. Keep going,” she said to Seth, setting her jaws to prepare herself.

  Tara tried to stem the tide of tears streaming down her face. She didn’t want to upset Seth anymore, and the poor girl was near tears herself. She took a deep breath to stop herself from grimacing. When her boot was finally off, cold sweat drenched her face and back from enduring the pain.

  “Goddammit,” Seth cursed under his breath. “Your ankle is too swollen for me to tell if it’s broken or not.”

  “Crap,” Tara sighed. “We don’t have cell reception up here, right?”

  “Right,” he confirmed, pulling off his beanie to run his hand through his hair. “I’ll have to go down to get the medics, but I don’t want to leave you here alone.”

  “I can go.” They both turned to the girl. “I’ll go down and let the medics know. It’s the least I can do.”

  “Thank you,” Seth said. “I really appreciate that.”

  “Yeah, thank you,” Tara echoed, surprisingly relieved that he could stay with her.